Guinea-Bissau

The Republic of Guinea-Bissau is a West African country, with Bissau serving as its capital. Portugal colonized Guinea in 1474, and the region was a major source of slaves during the trans-Atlantic slave trade. Guinean nationalists from the communist PAIGC began an anti-colonial uprising in 1963 as several other African countries were granted their independence, and the Portuguese forces were unable to neutralize the PAIGC, despite killing their leader Amilcar Cabral. On 10 September 1974, Bissau-Guinean independence was recognized, and the country drifted into political instability. None of its presidents served full five-year terms, and Amilcar's half-brother Luis Cabral reigned as dictator from 1973 until he was ousted in a 1980 military coup. The country was ruled by a revolutionary council until 1984, and multi-party elections were held ten years later. In 1998, an armed uprising led to the short Guinea-Bissau Civil War, which ousted President Joao Bernardo Vieira from power. Vieira was re-elected in 2005, but he was assassinated in 2009, and the country faced further instability.

In 2014, Guinea-Bissau had a population of 1,693,398 people, with 28.5% being Fula, 22.5% Balanta, 14.7% Mandinka, 9.1% Papel, 8.3% Manjaca, and 16.9% others; 45% were Muslim, 22% Christian, 15% animist, and 18% unspecified/other.